How to make a screen on a Xiaomi mobile phone: The complete guide

Xiaomi’s current smartphones, whether the flagship Mi series or the available Redmi and POCO, offer users many ways to capture what’s happening on the screen. Screenshot (or screenshot) is a basic feature that is necessary to save checks from Internet banks, correspondence, errors in applications or just interesting moments from games. However, the interface of the shell MIUI and the new HyperOS can be different from the usual Android, which often raises questions for beginners.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at all the screenshots that exist on Xiaomi devices. You’ll learn not only about standard button combinations, but also hidden features like tapping on the body or using a sidebar. The MIUI-based Android operating system provides flexible tools for editing and instant image sharing that many don’t even know about.

The variety of firmware models and versions sometimes make things not work. On Punch-hole devices, the physical button is often combined with the fingerprint sensor, which changes the click algorithm, and we'll take a look at the nuances so you don't have any trouble saving important information from your gadget's display.

Classical method: button combination

The most reliable and versatile way, which works on 99% of smartphones, including old and new Xiaomi models, is to use physical control buttons. The mechanics of the operation are simple: the system reads the simultaneous pressing of two keys and creates a snapshot of the current state of the interface. This method is independent of gesture settings and works even in safe mode.

To create a screenshot, you need to press Volume Down and Power simultaneously. It's important to keep the press short: just touch them and let them go right away. If you hold your finger longer than a second, the phone can go to the off menu or start the voice assistant, which is a common mistake.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi Note models and POCO The switch is on the right end and the volume swing is on the left, so the classic combination is physically uncomfortable, and it's better to use the alternative methods described below.

Once you've successfully created a snapshot, you'll hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera (if the sound isn't turned off), and a thumbnail will appear in the top corner of the screen. The notification allows you to quickly move to editing or share an image. If the thumbnail doesn't appear, check if the device's memory is full, as the screenshots are saved to the same folder as the photos.

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If you have big hands or a big phone, try pressing the volume button first, and then adding a power button to it, which increases the chance of a successful command.

Sometimes users complain that the screenshot does not work the first time, which may be due to the fact that the system is too short or too long to record double-pressing, in such cases, cleaning the system interface cache or simply restarting the device helps.

Screenshots via menu and notification curtain

If physical buttons are busy or damaged, MIUI offers software alternatives, which are especially convenient when the phone is on the table or you hold it with one hand, and these functions are accessed through the Control Panel, which is called by a top-down swipe.

In the expanded Quick Settings menu, you'll need to find an icon called Screenshot (usually a scissor or rectangle) if it doesn't appear on the first page, swipe left or tap on a button-editing pencil to add it from the list of available widgets, which will take a couple of seconds, but will make life much easier in the future.

• 📸 Open the swipe notification curtain from the top edge of the screen.
• 🔍 Find the screenshot button among the quick switches.
• 👆 Click on it - sound is heard, and the picture is saved.

There is also a second software method available from the recent apps menu, which requires you to click on the button to call the latest programs you have launched (a box or a latency swipe if gesture navigation is enabled). The windows that open up will have a toolbar above each application, where there is a screenshot button.

⚠️ Note: Some versions of HyperOS and MIUI The 14 screenshot button in the curtain can be hidden by default. If you can't find it, search the settings by entering the word "screenshot" to activate the shortcut.

Using software buttons eliminates the risk of random volume changes or screen locks, which sometimes occurs when you sloppyly press physical keys, making the method ideal for recording important dialogues or documents where clarity and the absence of unnecessary information at the edges are important.

Three finger gestures: the fastest way

Xiaomi owners often praise the MIUI shell for its handy gestures, and a three-finger screenshot is one of the most popular. This feature allows you to take a screenshot with one quick motion of your hand without looking for a button on the body. However, by default, it is often disabled and you need to activate it manually.

To enable this option, go to Settings → Additional settings → Keyboards → Screenshot (the path may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI). Select the option “Put three fingers down” or “Swipe three fingers” After activation, just swipe three closed fingers from top to bottom of the screen.

The gesture works in almost any application, but there may be exceptions in secure programs (banks, incognito browser mode), where the Android security system blocks the creation of images. In such cases, the screen may simply blink, but the image will not save, or a message about the security policy will appear.

The accuracy of the gesture requires a little training. The fingers should touch the screen at the same time, and the movement should be sure. If the screenshot does not work, try changing the speed of movement or the density of the finger pressing. Also make sure that there are no greasy spots or water on the screen that can disturb the sensitivity of the touch screen.

Function "Tap" and side panel

Xiaomi shells are famous for their unique features, and one of them is the creation of screenshots with double tapping. This feature has appeared relatively recently and is available on most modern models. It allows you to take a picture just by tapping your knuckle or nail on the screen anywhere.

Activates the function in the Settings menu → Additional settings → Special features → Quick access → Screen tapping. Here you select the action “Take a screenshot”. Once you set up a double knock on the body (usually at the top of the screen) will cause the image to be taken, which is especially convenient when the phone is lying on a flat surface.

Another useful tool is the Sidebar, which is a floating menu that you can swipe from the edge of the screen, and you can add a screenshot label to it, and it's convenient because it's always on hand and doesn't override content until you use it.

The sidebar also allows you to quickly edit or send a screenshot to the messenger without leaving the current application, making it a powerful tool for those who work with documents or chat in work.

Screenshots with scrolling (Long screenshot)

Often, a single screen is not enough to capture a long text, article or product list. The Long Screenshot (or Scrolling Screenshot) feature allows multiple screens to be stitched together into one long picture. On Xiaomi, this feature is natively built in and works very well.

So right after you take a normal screenshot (by any means), you have a thumbnail in the bottom right corner, and underneath it you have a button with a down arrow or you say, "Scroll," and you click on it and you start the long shot mode, and the screen automatically scrolls down to capture a new area.

• 📜 Take a regular screenshot of the desired page.
• 👇 Click the “Scroll” button on the thumbnail that appears.
• 🛑 Click Stop when all the necessary content is captured.

You can stop it at any time by touching the screen or waiting for the end of the page, automatically gluing the pieces together, killing the joints to make the text look solid, and it's an indispensable tool for saving long checks from online stores or correspondence on WhatsApp and Telegram.

Note that the scroll function does not work in applications where content is updated dynamically (for example, a social network feed when scrolling) or in secure applications.

Use of voice assistant and PC

Voice control is becoming more popular, and Xiaomi is keeping up with the trend: the built-in Google Assistant or Mi AI (in Chinese versions) can take screenshots on command, which is convenient when hands are busy or dirty.

Just say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot" (or "Take a screenshot"). The assistant recognizes the command and performs the action. To function, the phone must be connected to the Internet, and the voice assistant settings must allow screen action.

For advanced users, you can control your phone from a computer, and Mi PC Suite or third-party tools like scrcpy can stream your screen to your PC monitor and take screenshots with keyboard keys, which is ideal for creating instructions or app reviews.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party software to manage from PC through USB-Remember to debug security. Do not connect your phone to unknown computers and do not allow access to data unnecessarily, as this opens up wide access to the system.

You can also use Android emulators on your computer (like BlueStacks or Nox) if you need to take a screenshot of a mobile app but don't have a phone on hand. Emulators usually have their own screenshot hotkeys that are prescribed in the program settings.

Where to look and how to edit saved photos

Once a screenshot is taken, it's important to know where to find it. By default, all screenshots are saved to the gallery on a separate album. The path to a file in the file system usually looks like this: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots.

In the Gallery app, you'll find an album called Screenshots, where you can sort images by date, create collections or hide them, and the system also offers a basic editor that opens immediately after you create a picture or click on the Change button.

The following tools are available in the editor:

• ✂️ Pruning: allows you to remove unnecessary edges or personal data.
• 🖍 Drawing: you can highlight important places with a marker or add text.
• 🔢 Numbering: automatically puts the sequence number on the screenshot (useful for instructions).

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Automatic backup in Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud will help you not lose important screenshots when you change or break your device.

If you take screenshots often, your phone’s memory can fill up quickly, and it’s recommended that you periodically check the snapshot folder and delete the unnecessary, as screenshots often weigh more than regular photos due to the lack of compression applied by the camera.

Frequent Questions and Challenges (FAQ)